Memory loss, dementia and reduced brain function are major problems, particularly in elderly. Significant effort is put in the treatment and/or prevention of these disorders related with impaired nerve functioning.
Persons older than 50 years of age are particularly prone to developing such disorders, by a combination of aging and non-optimal nourishment. These syndromes, generally known as dementia or Alzheimer's disease (AD), are characterized by neurodegeneration and the deposition of plaques in the brain. These plaques consist of a number of components of which beta-amyloid (abeta) is seen as a key element. Abeta is produced from its precursor protein which resides in the membrane, and is believed to promote pro-inflammatory responses and to activate neurotoxic pathways causing neuronal dysfunction characterized by a loss of spines and neurites leading to neuronal death.
WO 2007/008586 A2 (Martek Biosciences Corp.) and EP 1 800 675 A1 (Nutricia N.V.) describe compositions for the treatment and/or prevention of dementia, wherein the composition comprises a lipid fraction comprising polyunsaturated fatty acids (PU-FAs) such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or docosapentaenoic acid (DPA).
It has also been shown in WO 2006/031683 A2 (MIT) to administer uridine or a source thereof in order to improve a neurological function in a subject. Uridine, in particular in the form of uridine monophosphate (UMP), is a nutrient that is known to increase the production of phospholipids, thus changing the membrane composition. However, at present no effects of UMP on abeta plaque burden have been reported.
Compositions comprising a uridine nucleoside/nucleotide and a fatty acid, in particular EPA and/or DHA have been disclosed in EP 1 666 092 A2 (Trommsdorff GmbH) for treating a variety of diseases among which neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer's Disease, and in WO 2006/127620 A2 (MIT) for the treatment of a memory disorder.